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How Much The Trip Actually Cost

Most people guessed way too low. Six months in South American cost me $12,471.28.

Let’s take off the $3,000 I spent in Rio (one-sixth of that went to the worst hostel in South America for their six day Carnival package). That leaves $9500 for five months, or $63 a day. Out of that I’d estimate $30-40 was spent on lodging, food, local taxis, and going out. But it was the miscellaneous costs that rammed me: new camera ($300), hospitalization ($550), visas ($200), bus transportation, doctor visit ($150 for a dermatologist in Rio), clothing replacement ($100), new 220-volt shaver ($50), Machu Picchu ($120), etc. Plus I took Spanish and Portuguese lessons ($200). It was very hard to keep costs down.

If you want to take a long trip but don’t want to spend this amount of money, here’s my advice:

1. Don’t get sick, or take out a travel health insurance policy with the lowest possible deductible. Taking out a high $500 deductible like I did is retarded unless you plan on your appendix rupturing.

2. Stay longer in less cities. Not only do you minimize transportation costs but by knowing the city you can eat and get around more cheaply. I can live a comfortable middle-class lifestyle in a nice city like Cordoba, Argentina for around $1000 a month.

3. Don’t eat out more than twice a week. It saves you money and minimizes your chances of getting sick. Make big meals and save leftovers for the next day’s lunch and dinner.

4. Try to make friends on sites like Couch Surfing to lodge for free. I never did this but if I’m in a money crunch it’d make sense. Plus you’ll have a more locals experience. Or you can get an older girlfriend who has her own place. I can tell you right now that you will get tired of both hostels and gringos after a month.

5. If you really want to save money and get your costs down to $10 a day, bring your tent, wash your clothes, and never use internet cafes. Or sleep in hammocks.

On to the contest winner. First here is my favorite guess:

$0. I think you spent the whole time in your dad’s basement avoiding homosexual thoughts.

Wrong! In close second place with a guess of $12,000 was Rajia. She gets no prize. The first place winner, and champion of this contest, is Brian with a guess of $12,885. Here’s what he had to say about winning the book.

Man I really don’t believe it! I mean I’ve always wanted the book but I just don’t want to pay actual money for it. I’ve been hoping for some type of sweet contest so when you announced this one on Monday I almost shit my pants at the opportunity.

Just kidding I made that up, but I imagine that’s what he would say. Thanks for playing!

Postscript: What he really had to say…

Some of those guesses were downright retarded. How anyone could guess like $3000 or $4000 is beyond me.

Oh well. I guess I don’t really need a book about picking up the ladies anyway. I still feel rather smart for being close. Or maybe having traveled through latin america gave me a leg up on the competition. I spent pretty similar amounts, except no hospitalization, traveling through remote and not-so-remote parts of mexico.

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10 years ago

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Anonymous

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I used to fish with guys who would make $100,000 in four months on the Bearing Sea, and then go spend the next eight months in Brazil, getting laid. Worked with roughnecks on oil rigs and deep water welders who did the same thing. You could always do that — go to South America and get some sorta part time gig which would allow you to live well. Deck Hand I used to work with said that’s how he met most of the chicks he’d shack up with for a few months.

I spent 2200 USD, round trip airfare from US included, for 2 months in Thailand and Cambodia in Summer of 2005. I backpacked, took buses from place to place, stayed in average hostels, ate average food, spent 10 days in Koh Tao diving, rented motorcycles, etc. It was a fantastic experience, I fully recommend it.

That is pretty cheap man 12471 good lord lol That is only 24942.56 a year to travel around. I was willing to put you over the threshold for the other sites dangit. I was thinking 6k more but dang at those prices its insane. I am thinking that you could have done better staying at an apartment in each place a month. When I go to Jakarta the hotels are usually over a 100 dollars a day. I found some apartments in a decent looking area for 600 a month though. I am pretty sure you can get cheaper since the people only make like a 100 dollars a month.

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10 years ago

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Anonymous

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But…Roosh didn’t even get laid!

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10 years ago

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terps

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remember the dollar is weak, so more dollars has to be spent to maintain the same lifestyle now compared to before.

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10 years ago

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OG Sally

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Roosh, did you ever stay in rented apartments instead of hostels? It’s a very popular way to save money over here, basically like being in a hotel but way cheaper and with a kitchen for cooking.

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10 years ago

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Kyle

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I{ve been in South America for 6 months now and i{ve spent about 5k. I{ve been to peru, bolivia, and argentina(salta, mendoza)). I’m now in Chile, broke off my ass and planning my last month of travel where i’ll be going to brazil for 2 weeks, and making my way down to buenos aires. The yellow fever shot and the brazilian visa cost me 260. That plus the airfare to sao paulo is killing me.

Your advice on the Argentine girls is SPOT ON, I can’t wait to get there and work my magic.